The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State at the weekend, lauded the Joint Task Force (JTF) over the report released on the violence that rocked the cancelled and rescheduled election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the State, saying that the report has vindicated the party.
The party said though it had raised alarm over the alleged complicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Governor Seriake Dickson in the violence and electoral irregularities witnessed during the December 5 and 6 governorship election, it nonetheless declared that the report by JTF accusing Dickson for his complicity in the violence that rocked Southern Ijaw was an unbiased and true version of the incident.
On the contrary, the Restoration Campaign Organization of Governor Seriake Dickson, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the inconclusive poll in the state, slammed the Joint Task Force (JTF) for absolving itself of any blame in the violence and irregularities that marred the recent election in the Southern Ijaw Local Government, saying that the security body could have done better to forestall the violence that led to the cancellation of the election.
PDP also rejected the position of the JTF on being neutral as the governor’s campaign outfit accused it of colluding with others to rig the election.
General Stevenson Olabanji, Commander, 2 Brigade of Nigerian Army had at a news briefing in Yenagoa, regretted the violence during the election and claimed that JTF made a number of arrests just as he stated that Governor Seriake Dickson’s unscheduled visit to Oporoma on Election Day fuelled the violence in the area.
Meanwhile, the Army, on Saturday, disclosed that troops of Operation Safe Conduct, posted to the state on election duty, apprehended 17 suspected thugs with arms and stolen Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) during the December 5 governorship election.
Addressing newsmen in Yenagoa, Commander of Operation Safe Conduct and Commander of 2 Brigade and Sector 2 of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Stephenson Olabanji, also revealed that 10 AK47 rifles and ammunition, as well as 30 PVCs were also recovered from the suspects.
Gen. Olabanji, who was accompanied by the state Commissioner of Police Nasiru Oki, said three youths were arrested along Clough Creek Military Checkpoint in Ekeremor with 30 suspected stolen PVCs, while another five suspects were arrested with 5 AK47 and ammunitions after exchange of gunfire in Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw LGA.
He added that the troops also intercepted a speed boat conveying nine persons with five AK 47 rifles and some ammunition on Olugbobiri River in Southern Ijaw, adding that all the suspects have since been handed over to the police.
Meantime, the APC, in a statement through the Director of Media and Publicity to the Sylva/Igiri campaign Organisation, Chief Nathan Egba, said that the decision of the military authority to speak up and clarify the situation has clearly vindicated our position on the controversy that rocked the cancelled election.
“We wish, however, to assure all that unlike Governor Dickson and the PDP, we will continue to remain peaceful, law-abiding even as we pursue the actualization of our mandate with the announcement of the Southern Ijaw council results.”
Bayelsa Poll: PDP slams JTF over security lapses in Southern Ijaw
On the contrary, the Restoration Campaign Organization of Governor Seriake Dickson, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the inconclusive poll, has slammed the Joint Task Force for absolving itself of any blame in the violence and irregularities that marred the recent election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, saying that the security body could have done better to forestall the violence that led to the cancellation of the election.
It has also rejected the position of the JTF on being neutral as the governor’s campaign outfit accused it of colluding with others to rig the election.
General Stevenson Olabanji, Commander, 2 Brigade, of Nigerian Army at a news briefing in Yenagoa, regretted the violence during the election and claimed that the JTF made a number of arrests just as he stated that Governor Dickson’s visit to Oporoma on Election Day fuelled the violence in the area.
But the Restoration Campaign Organisation of PDP, in a statement by its Director of Publicity Jonathan Obuebite, blamed JTF for the security lapses leading to loss of lives in Southern Ijaw council because it did not heed advice by the governor and others to postpone the election on account of anticipated violence.
He accused JTF of being partisan, stating that its officers worked with thugs loyal to the opposition party in the state to undermine the entire electoral process in Southern Ijaw council.
“It is only fit and proper for JTF to own up to its failures and apologize to the people of Southern Ijaw for the despicable and unprofessional conduct of some of its officers who clearly were more interested in lining their pockets. It failed to give reasons why it withdrew the military security attached to the governor and gave order for them to be detained, thereby compromising the security of the governor,” he said.
Even while he commended JTF on some of its efforts, he, nonetheless, said they fell short of expectation.
“We expected JTF to have done much more, knowing fully well reports of arms build-up by APC leading up to the election. JTF should have adopted a proactive approach by deploying superior intelligence to track down the movement of arms by APC thugs and arrest same long before the commencement of the election,” he added.
According to him, JTF failed to acknowledge that it erred by not heeding the advice of the governor and others including women, NYSC corps members and INEC ad hoc staff to postpone the election and despite of the gun battle it had with the militants, miscreants all through Friday night up till the morning of Saturday, which, necessitated a shift in election.
Obuebite noted that even on Sunday, the day of the rescheduled election, security concerns were still at an all-time high, a development which prompted the governor as the Chief Security Officer to visit Oporoma to see things for himself, adding that he acted well within his rights and out of genuine concern.
“Unfortunately, the JTF lied that the governor’s presence further heightened security in the area. That’s so cheeky and it only clearly shows that the military was indeed compromised. The governor went to Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw council out of genuine concern for the security of lives of the citizens. He went there as early as 7a.m., long before the commencement of election.”
Applauding the gallantry and professional conduct of some of its officers during the elections, which led to the arrest of some thugs and hoodlums, he challenged the JTF commander and Commissioner of Police to reveal the identity of those arrested and their sponsors.
-Vanguard